Russian Chicken Cutlets… котлетки

Kotletki are our ultimate Russian comfort food. They are beautiful little ground chicken cutlets that are lightly flavored with fragrant dill and savory onion and pan fried or baked until golden brown.

Growing up, food was not a priority in my life. I really had no need for it and my scrawny body showed it. However, there were few foods that pleased my finicky palate and these little fluffy chicken kotletki were one of those foods. Chicken kotletki are most closely related to a mini meatloaf. Well no, not really a meatloaf more like hamburgers, without the bun. To put it simply, it’s a meager mixture of ground chicken, onions, soaked bread, salt, pepper and some binders and seasoning. They are fried up or oven baked and enjoyed while piping hot as the juices ooze out. Basically simple ground chicken cutlets that are full of juicy flavor.

This is one of my go-to’s when hubby is out of commission and run down with the flu. He promptly asks me to whip him up a batch of kotletki to make him feel warm inside. It reminds us both of our childhoods and close family time spent around the dinner table with loved ones, where food was not the emphasis but instead the stories and anecdotes were.

I find it interesting how practically everyone that has a Russian, Ukranian (like my hubby), Belrussian or Moldovian (like me) background all have a different recipe for kotletki. For instance the Ukranians typically make them out of beef and prefer them very fried and frankly a tad too oily for my taste. I actually made them before here , (brace yourselves, this recipe is from my earlier blogging days, the pics are a bit, ahem, rough) however, it has been quite some time since I made that recipe. For me these tend to be lighter and even more flavorful…but hey I’m not gonna like I would not turn either one down.

I have two secret ingredients that I use to make them both flavorful and moist. We all know that sometimes ground chicken can be dry and a bit blah. I use a tad of Greek yogurt to spruce it up. It makes them unbelievably moist and oh so very yummy. The Greek yogurt adds a tiny bit of tartness and rounds the flavors out nicely. My other ingredient is fresh dill. Hubby is not too keen on it, but for me it’s a must. Either way, these little, scrumptious patties are the perfect go to dinner or lunch.

Cut up 2 slices of bread of your choice into small cubes and let sit in a bowl with 1/2 a cup of milk for a few minutes.

In another larger bowl, combine ground chicken, eggs, shredded onion, chopped dill, Greek yogurt, salt and pepper. As an FYI in this particular recipe I used ground turkey as well as ground chicken. It turned out great.

Squeeze out the access milk out of the cubes of bread and add them into the meat mixture. Mix well with your hands until all is combined. Do not overmix as overworking the meat will lead to dry patties. (not yummy) I sometimes have a heavy hand with my salt with these little patties. So I always fry up a tiny little piece and test it out for seasoning.

Pour some olive oil into a large pan and heat up on high. There will be some massive splatters going on once the frying begins. Save yourself the trouble of cleaning up a greasy mess and tape your stove up like I did here.

While the pan is heating up, go ahead and create a little work station for yourself. You will need 1 bowl with water, 1 platter lined with paper towels and the bowl with the meat mixture.

Once the oil has heated up for about 2-3 minutes you are ready to fry. Dip your hand into the water and take some meat mixture into your hand. Make a ball with the meat, then flatten it out and shape it quickly. Shape the meat patties into little flat footballs, basically the size and thickness of your palm.

Slide into the oil, careful as to not to burn yourself. After 4-5 minutes, flip them carefully with a spatula to continue cooking on the other side. Turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking them. You can also transfer them to a baking sheet and finish cooking them in a 375-degree oven for 10 minutes. This will eliminate the need to fry them on the other side. I have done both methods and they turned out great either way.

Lay them out on the paper towel once they are done so the excess oil can drip off a bit. You can use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. They should reach a temperature of 160-degrees.

Instructions

Cut up 2 slices of bread of your choice into small cubes and let sit in a bowl with 1/2 a cup of milk for a few minutes.

In another larger bowl, combine ground chicken, eggs, chopped dill, Greek yogurt, salt and pepper. As an FYI in this particular recipe I used ground turkey as well as ground chicken. It turned out great.

Squeeze out the access milk out of the cubes of bread and add them into the meat mixture. Mix well with your hands until all is combined. Do not overmix as overworking the meat will lead to dry patties. (not yummy) I sometimes have a heavy hand with my salt with these little patties. So I always fry up a tiny little piece and test it out for seasoning.

Pour some olive oil into a large pan and heat up on high.

While the pan is heating up, go ahead and create a little work station for yourself. You will need 1 bowl with water, 1 platter lined with paper towels and the bowl with the meat mixture.

Once the oil has heated up for about 2-3 minutes you are ready to fry. Dip your hand into the water and take some meat mixture into your hand. Shape the meat patties into little flat footballs, basically the size of your palm Do this by making a ball with the meat, then flatten it out and shape it to be about the size and thickness if your palm..

Slide the patties into the oil, careful as to not to burn yourself.

After 4-5 minutes, flip them carefully with a spatula to continue cooking on the other side. Turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking them. You can also transfer them to a baking sheet and finish cooking them in a 375-degree oven for 10 minutes. This will eliminate the need to fry them on the other side. I have done both methods and they turned out great either way.

Lay them out on the paper towel once they are done so the excess oil can drip off a bit. You can use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. They should reach a temperature of 160-degrees.

Instructions

Cut up 2 slices of bread of your choice into small cubes and let sit in a bowl with 1/2 a cup of milk for a few minutes.

In another larger bowl, combine ground chicken, eggs, chopped dill, Greek yogurt, salt and pepper. As an FYI in this particular recipe I used ground turkey as well as ground chicken. It turned out great.

Squeeze out the access milk out of the cubes of bread and add them into the meat mixture. Mix well with your hands until all is combined. Do not overmix as overworking the meat will lead to dry patties. (not yummy) I sometimes have a heavy hand with my salt with these little patties. So I always fry up a tiny little piece and test it out for seasoning.

Pour some olive oil into a large pan and heat up on high.

While the pan is heating up, go ahead and create a little work station for yourself. You will need 1 bowl with water, 1 platter lined with paper towels and the bowl with the meat mixture.

Once the oil has heated up for about 2-3 minutes you are ready to fry. Dip your hand into the water and take some meat mixture into your hand. Shape the meat patties into little flat footballs, basically the size of your palm Do this by making a ball with the meat, then flatten it out and shape it to be about the size and thickness if your palm..

Slide the patties into the oil, careful as to not to burn yourself.

After 4-5 minutes, flip them carefully with a spatula to continue cooking on the other side. Turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking them. You can also transfer them to a baking sheet and finish cooking them in a 375-degree oven for 10 minutes. This will eliminate the need to fry them on the other side. I have done both methods and they turned out great either way.

Lay them out on the paper towel once they are done so the excess oil can drip off a bit. You can use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. They should reach a temperature of 160-degrees.

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What People are Saying:

Absolutely can’t wait to make this soup. We’re going to have up to 10 inches of snow here and this will be a great warm- up after digging out my car! Thank you.

2018-02-20T18:53:58-05:00

Absolutely can’t wait to make this soup. We’re going to have up to 10 inches of snow here and this will be a great warm- up after digging out my car! Thank you.

https://girlandthekitchen.com/testimonials/11162/

This recipe was delicious and “do-able” even on a work nite! It was “fall off the bone” good. I do think I ended up with too much juice simply because I was afraid I’d burn them if I didn’t add just a little more vino. Thanks so much!

2018-02-20T18:54:08-05:00

This recipe was delicious and “do-able” even on a work nite! It was “fall off the bone” good. I do think I ended up with too much juice simply because I was afraid I’d burn them if I didn’t add just a little more vino. Thanks so much!

https://girlandthekitchen.com/testimonials/11163/

Mila, you’re a genius. This recipe couldn’t be anymore straight forward and simple with an outstanding finished product. Seriously, a child with a little supervision could make this.

2018-02-20T18:54:18-05:00

Mila, you’re a genius. This recipe couldn’t be anymore straight forward and simple with an outstanding finished product. Seriously, a child with a little supervision could make this.

https://girlandthekitchen.com/testimonials/11165/

This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup was FANTASTIC! The broth is so flavorful and fresh tasting. Although the soup is lighter, it is still filling and super comforting. This will be added to my rotation for sure!

2018-02-20T18:53:44-05:00

This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup was FANTASTIC! The broth is so flavorful and fresh tasting. Although the soup is lighter, it is still filling and super comforting. This will be added to my rotation for sure!

My late grandmother used to make these for me so I am so excited to see this recipe. The only question I wanted to ask is if there was a way to make it without the bread? I’m currently on an elimination diet so not allowed to eat wheat/flour and though some katletki would be an easy bulk meal to make with salad.

I swapped out the bread for oats since my hubby is diabetic. I also used plain soymilk instead of regular milk, and you wouldn’t even be able to know the difference! Awesome recipe! =) I served it with a side of baby tomato salad and baked cinnamon apples.

[…] I did. She caters and teaches cooking classes, and my family loves her recipes, especially her Chicken Kotletky…whenever we make it, we make a double batch and freeze some for another night! Her tip is a […]

[…] fry up these glorious spuds. Babushka would typically make the potatoes and mama would make the kotletki (little ground fried meat patties) along with her signature salad of aromatic tomatoes, crisp […]

Hi! I’m Mila, the Girl and the Kitchen. And I believe in Good Food. Done Right. Having worked in many incredible restaurant kitchens as a chef, I know what it takes to make delicious, wholesome food with simple ingredients and bright flavors! I believe that anyone can make great-tasting food by knowing a few tricks of the trade. Come along as I teach you to prepare incredibly tasty and wholesome meals made with simple ingredients that are loaded with flavor in no time at all!